Students get a taste for entrepreneurship

Tuesday, September 5, 2017 - 14:17
Students at UNT’s Club at Gateway Center prepare three-course meals during a previous Guest Chef Day.
Students at UNT’s Club at Gateway Center prepare three-course meals during a previous Guest Chef Day.

What: The University of North Texas' student-run restaurant, the Club at Gateway Center, will soon start serving three-course, gourmet lunches. The club opens for a limited time twice a year and gives students experience running a business.

When: Seating from 11 a.m. to noon on weekdays Oct. 2 (Monday) – Dec. 1 (Friday). Closed Nov. 23 and 24 (Thursday and Friday).

Where: Inside the Gateway Center, located at 801 North Texas Blvd.

Cost: Tickets are $10, except on Guest Chef Day. A book of nine tickets for fall is $72. Pay by cash, check or interdepartmental transfer. Tickets are available now.

Reservations: Call 940-565-4144 or email GatewayClub@unt.edu. Reservations are encouraged.

Parking: Special event parking is located in lot 20 across from the Gateway Center.

Guest Chef Day: Features the 2016 USA National Chef of the Year, Patrick Mitchell, on Oct. 31 (Tuesday). Meals are $15. Guests who have already purchased a regular dining ticket can add $5 to pay for their Guest Chef Day meal. A limited number of reservations will be available. 

Details: Menu and more at https://htm.unt.edu/content/club.

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- A student-run restaurant at the University of North Texas is giving students hands-on experience running a successful business.

The Club at Gateway Center serves three-course lunches and opens on weekdays for a limited time Oct. 2 (Monday) – Dec. 1 (Friday). The club allows hospitality management students to oversee the entire dining experience, including meal preparation, marketing, budgeting, menu planning and staff management.

Each semester, a culinary guru is invited to campus to help prepare a one-of-a-kind gourmet meal for diners attending the restaurant's Guest Chef Day. The 2016 USA National Chef of the Year, Patrick Mitchell, will lead this year's event on Oct. 31 (Tuesday).

Mitchell is a veteran chef with more than 40 years of experience. He is currently the executive chef and culinary advisor for Fort Worth-based Ben E. Keith Foods. He is also a certified culinary judge with the American Culinary Federation, and he is the Central Region Director for the American Academy of Chefs. Mitchell has competed in numerous competitions, such as the International Culinary Olympics and the Culinary World Cup, and he has won more than 40 culinary awards, including the 2015 Texas State Chef of the Year award.

"We feel honored to have secured such an accomplished culinarian," said Joe O'Donnell, general manager of the restaurant. "Chef Mitchell's industry expertise will be an invaluable learning opportunity for students."

This dining season also highlights a new accolade for the restaurant. The Club at Gateway Center won the Best of Denton Award in the restaurant category for the second consecutive year. The 2016 and 2017 honors come from the Denton Award Program and recognize venues that make Denton a "great place to live, work and play."

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